Citizens' Party (Finland)

{{Infobox political party

| name = Citizens' Party

| logo = Citizens' Party (Finland) logo.svg

| colorcode = {{party color|Citizens' Party (Finland)}}

| chairman = Sami Kilpeläinen

| ideology = Euroscepticism

| headquarters =

| international =

| website = {{Official URL}}

| country = Finland

| native_name =

| native_name_lang =

| lang1 = Finnish

| name_lang1 = {{Lang|fi|Kansalaispuolue}}

| lang2 = Swedish

| name_lang2 = {{Lang|sv|Medborgarpartiet}}

| caption =

| abbreviation = KP

| split = Centre Party

| founded = {{start date|2016}}

| dissolved = 2022

| merged = Christian Democrats (de facto)

| position = Centre

| national =

| regional =

| european =

| continental =

| europarl =

| affiliation1_title =

| affiliation1 =

| colors =

| slogan =

| anthem =

| symbol =

| flag =

| footnotes =

}}

Citizens' Party ({{langx|fi|Kansalaispuolue}}, {{langx|sv|Medborgarpartiet}}) was a Finnish political party, founded in 2016.{{Cite web |url=https://www.iltalehti.fi/uutiset/a/201612152200041020|title=Paavo Väyrysen kansalaispuolue puoluerekisteriin |work=Iltalehti |date=15 December 2016 |access-date=1 January 2017|language=fi}} It was founded by the long-time Centre Party politician and MEP Paavo Väyrynen, who left Centre in early 2016.{{cite news|url=http://www.iltasanomat.fi/kotimaa/art-1454558309546.html|title=Paavo Väyrynen perustaa uuden puolueen|publisher=Ilta-sanomat|date=4 February 2016|accessdate=1 January 2017|language=fi|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160207005933/http://www.iltasanomat.fi/kotimaa/art-1454558309546.html|archive-date=7 February 2016|url-status=dead}} Väyrynen acted as the first chairman of the party until July 2017, when he was succeeded by Sami Kilpeläinen.{{cite web|url=http://www.suomenmaa.fi/?app=NeoDirect&com=6/3/263315/bd51d38702 |title= Kansalaispuolueessa on vain noin 30 päätösvaltaista jäsentä – tuore puheenjohtaja Sami Kilpeläinen aikoo jättää keskustan luottamustehtävät |publisher=Suomenmaa |date=17 July 2017 |accessdate=17 July 2017 |language=Finnish}}

The party did not take part in the 2017 municipal elections, although Väyrynen was elected to the City Council of Helsinki as an independent candidate.{{cite web|url=http://tulospalvelu.vaalit.fi/KV-2017/fi/val091.html#6 |title=Valitut: Helsinki |publisher=Ministry of Justice |date=13 April 2017 |accessdate=17 July 2017 }} Väyrynen also participated in the 2018 presidential election as an independent candidate, finishing fourth with 6.2 percent of the votes.{{cite web|url=https://yle.fi/uutiset/3-10045725 |title=Väyrynen "äärimmäisen tyytyväinen" omaan tulokseensa – "Keväällä tulen ilahduttamaan Suomen kansaa sillä, että palaan eduskuntaan"|publisher=Yle|date=28 January 2018 |accessdate=28 January 2018 |language=Finnish}}

In March 2018, Citizens' Party expelled Väyrynen from the party, due to his alleged misdeeds with the campaign funding during the presidential elections.{{cite web|url=https://www.hs.fi/politiikka/art-2000005589852.html|title=Kansalaispuolue ilmoittaa erottaneensa Paavo Väyrysen puolueesta|publisher=Helsingin Sanoamt|date=3 March 2018|accessdate = 20 June 2018|language = Finnish}} Väyrynen denied the allegations and instead started a court case against the activities of the board of the party.{{cite web|url=https://www.mtv.fi/uutiset/kotimaa/artikkeli/itseluottamusta-uhkuva-vayrynen-jattaa-kansalaispuolueen-tahtaa-yha-sipilan-tilalle-olen-ollut-kaksi-kertaa-nostamassa-keskustaa-kuilun-partaalta/6863090#gs.Qol7cro|title=Itseluottamusta uhkuva Väyrynen jättää kansalaispuolueen, tähtää yhä Sipilän tilalle – "Olen ollut kaksi kertaa nostamassa keskustaa kuilun partaalta"|publisher=MTV3|date=12 April 2018|accessdate = 20 June 2018|language = Finnish}} While the court case was still ongoing, Väyrynen founded a Citizens' Party's parliamentary group, intending to represent the party within the parliament.{{cite web|url=https://www.uusisuomi.fi/kotimaa/251655-paavo-vayrysen-tilanteesta-paanvaivaa-eduskunnassa-emme-voi-tassa-vaiheessa-oikein |title=Väyrysen tilanteesta päänvaivaa eduskunnassa: "Emme voi tässä vaiheessa oikein evätäkään"|publisher=Uusi Suomi|date=19 June 2018 |accessdate=20 June 2018 |language=Finnish}}

In November 2018, the District Court of Helsinki deemed void the majority of decisions made by the party board, including the decision to expel Väyrynen.{{cite web|url=https://yle.fi/uutiset/3-10493182 |title=Käräjäoikeus: Kansalaispuolueella ei ollut toimivaltaa erottaa Paavo Väyrystä|publisher=Yle|date=5 November 2018 |accessdate=7 November 2018 |language=Finnish}} Chairman Sami Kilpeläinen soon announced that they would appeal against the decision while preparing for the 2019 parliamentary election as usual.{{cite web|url=https://yle.fi/uutiset/3-10494408 |title=Kansalaispuolue aikoo valittaa hoviin ratkaisusta, jonka mukaan Väyrysen erottaminen oli laiton – "Mahdoton hyväksyä"|publisher=Yle|date=6 November 2018 |accessdate=7 November 2018 |language=Finnish}} The decision promoted Väyrynen to abandon the Citizens' Party's parliamentary group in favor of that of his Seven Star Movement.{{Cite web |title=Väyrynen ei ehdolle EU-vaaleihin, eduskuntavaaliehdokkuus 'mahdollista' |last=Ruokangas |first=Perttu |work=Yle News |date=16 November 2018 |access-date=19 November 2018 |url= https://yle.fi/uutiset/3-10511944 |language=fi}} In April 2019, Citizens' Party and Väyrynen settled their differences.{{Cite web |title=Paavo Väyrynen ja kansalaispuolue sopivat riitansa

|last=Varpula |first=Salla |work=Helsingin Sanomat |date=9 April 2019 |access-date=20 April 2019 |url= https://www.hs.fi/politiikka/art-2000006064510.html |language=fi}}

Citizens' Party took part in the 2019 parliamentary election, but none of its candidates were elected.{{Cite web |url=https://tulospalvelu.vaalit.fi/EKV-2019/en/tulos_kokomaa.html|title=Parliamentary Elections 2019: Party Results |publisher=Ministry of Justice |date=15 April 2019 |accessdate=16 April 2019}} The party was dissolved in August 2022, and its active members were transferred to the Christian Democrats.{{Cite web |date=2022-08-30 |title=Kansalaispuolue lopettaa toimintansa, aktiivinen jäsenistö sulautuu kristillisdemokraatteihin |url=https://yle.fi/a/3-12601004 |access-date=2023-01-07 |website=Yle Uutiset |language=fi}}